Gyllian
The old Free City of Gyllian has maintained its independence since its founding in -275 EE as an Archonite settlement along the southern cape of the Pavalonian peninsula. The state remained stable even through the various regime changes that has rattled the city through its existence. Its position as a free city was cemented through its massive defensive infrastructure projects including construction of its interior and exterior walls as well as its large defensible harbor completed in -236 EE. Gyllian has had a mixed relationship with its large and powerful neighbor of Pavalon to the north, the prosperous port city has maintained its independence from the hegemonic influences of Montellais through its vast network of alliances, trade agreements, and most importantly large fortunes. The city was built as an Archonite port on the southwestern corner of the Predish Peninsula tucked away behind the Coldrock Ridge of the Blue Rock Mountains. The port was built in a deep estuary of the Ruby river and is built into the hills that surround it. The positioning of the port made it invaluable to North-South trade from the Sunder to the Ardent Sea. The neutrality of the city made it more attractive for mercantile industry that was weary of the war torn rest of the Archonite. The city is based between the river and the sea as well as under the cliffs of Ashers Peak. Its divided among the central harbor and three hills. The districts of the city are named after these hills and go by the names of Manerah, Scholz, and Glasshill. The Northeastern section of the city is dominated by the three great gates that have defended the city from mainland incursions. These massive fortifications are defended by the legendary Gate Guard who patrol them as well as the downtrodden neighborhoods in between. The Bulwark is what the quarter came to be known and encompasses around a third of the entire city. In the Ruby River the Tower of Ingold a large fortification that guards the harbor serves more as Gyllian’s prison than a true stronghold. Gyllian has maintained a strong enough navy that it’s port and its overseas holdings are quite safe from maritime threats. The rise of the Great Banks would forever change the course of the city as the old nobility was slowly suffocated from power. The vast subterranean fortresses that formed the great Vaults that the city would become known for. If the cities mighty gates should fall, the great Vaults were created to stand against any attack and contained so many secret passages that the Banks could smuggle what or whom ever in or out of the city without ever coming above ground. The Vault Lords of the city’s 8 banks would slowly absorb power in the city under the guidance of the three Great Banks and the three Vault-Princes that controlled them. These Banking dynasties would influence the fall of the Gyllian Monarchy and then usurped power from the nobility-based oligarchy that followed to control the prosperous city state as a merchant prince triumvirate.